Where When How — Summer 2012
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Skywatch: The Night Sky
JULY/AUGUST SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
Autumn begins on September 22nd
Looking skyward from night to night not much seems to change. But, if you pay close attention over the course of weeks, months, and years, you will notice the changes. For instance, the stars seen due south early in the evening in July, will have set before the sky grows dark in September and October.
Likewise, the stars just rising in the east on a July evening will be high overhead in September and October. During July, August, and September, as the evening’s sky begins to grow dark, two bright star-like objects dominate the western sky. The brighter of the two is lower in the sky and reddish – this is the planet Mars. Slightly higher in the sky and a little to the south is Saturn.
Now, look in the northwestern sky for seven fairly bright stars that form the best known of all stars groups, the Big Dipper. Three stars mark the handle of the Dipper and four more its bowl. Now the Big Dipper looks like a dipper, but it is part of Ursa Major, the Great Bear and the fainter stars in this part of the sky really look nothing like a bear.
You can use the Big Dipper to find your way around the sky. Many people know that if you draw a line through the two stars at the end of the bowl and extend the line toward the horizon, you will come to Polaris, the North Star at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.
Polaris is not a very bright star. Its importance is that it is found almost directly over the north pole of Earth. So, if your GPS system doesn’t work, and you can find Polaris, you at least know which way is north. The Little Dipper is part of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.
The handles of both Dippers form the bears’ long tails. But, of course, bears don’t have long tails. According to one legend, a mighty hunter was fighting the bears, grabbed the bears by their tails and flung them into the heavens. In doing so, he stretched the bears’ tails!
Go back to the Big Dipper. This time use the Dipper’s handle. Follow the arc of the handle away from the Dipper to the bright star Arcturus and then speed on to Spica. Arcturus is the brightest star in Bootes, the Herdsman. Spica is a grain of wheat being held in the hand of Virgo, the Goddess of the Harvest. Don’t be surprised if you cannot see a herdsman of Virgo, most of the constellations look nothing at all like their names.
If you look low in the southern sky you will find a bright reddish star. This is Antares, and it marks the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Perhaps you can see the fainter stars that mark the Scorpion’s long curved tail.
To the east of the Scorpion's tail is Sagittarius, a centaur, a creature half man and half horse. Sagittarius is firing an arrow at the Scorpion. You will probably have a great deal of trouble trying to see Sagittarius. Some people use the brightest stars of Sagittarius to form a teapot. Perhaps you can see the handle, the top of the pot and the spout.
Looking toward the east, there are three bright stars forming a large triangle. Since the triangle is visible all night long during the summer up north, it is called the Summer Triangle. Each bright star marks a different star group or constellation.
Farthest west and highest in the sky is Vega, part of Lyra the Harp. Fainter stars very close to Vega in the shape of a parallelogram form the harp. In mythology, this is the harp invented by Hermes which Mercury gave to Orpheus the musician, who joined Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece.
To the south is Altair, in Aquila the Eagle.The eagle was the bird of Zeus and is often represented carrying aloft the young boy Ganymede. Aquila was also known as the bird of Jove and the bearer of his thunder. Whatever the legend, it is impossible to take the fainter stars that join with Altair and really make an Eagle out of this part of the heavens.
The third bright star is Deneb, marking the tail of Cygnus, the Swan. There are many legends that might account for the presence of a Swan in the heavens. One myth states that the Swan represents Orpheus, who was slain by Bacchus. However Orpheus' music was so wonderful that he was changed into a Swan and placed in the heavens near his beloved harp.
You may be surprised to learn that in July the Earth is farthest from the Sun. On July 4th when it is at its farthest, the Sun is only 94,509,460 miles away!
There are three meteor shows visible during these months. The best time to observe a meteor shower is between midnight and dawn. July 28th-29th is the maximum of Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Southern Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. August 12th-13th is the maximum of the Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. However, this year the bright Moon will overpower the fainter shooting stars. October 21st-22nd will be the Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.
The first day of fall (Autumnal Equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of spring (Vernal Equinox) in the southern hemisphere is September 22nd.
This column is prepared especially for TCI stargazers by DR. THOMAS LESSER, former Senior Lecturer at the American Museum-Hayden Planetarium and a frequent visitor to the Caribbean.
Autumn begins on September 22nd
Looking skyward from night to night not much seems to change. But, if you pay close attention over the course of weeks, months, and years, you will notice the changes. For instance, the stars seen due south early in the evening in July, will have set before the sky grows dark in September and October.
Likewise, the stars just rising in the east on a July evening will be high overhead in September and October. During July, August, and September, as the evening’s sky begins to grow dark, two bright star-like objects dominate the western sky. The brighter of the two is lower in the sky and reddish – this is the planet Mars. Slightly higher in the sky and a little to the south is Saturn.
Now, look in the northwestern sky for seven fairly bright stars that form the best known of all stars groups, the Big Dipper. Three stars mark the handle of the Dipper and four more its bowl. Now the Big Dipper looks like a dipper, but it is part of Ursa Major, the Great Bear and the fainter stars in this part of the sky really look nothing like a bear.
You can use the Big Dipper to find your way around the sky. Many people know that if you draw a line through the two stars at the end of the bowl and extend the line toward the horizon, you will come to Polaris, the North Star at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.
Polaris is not a very bright star. Its importance is that it is found almost directly over the north pole of Earth. So, if your GPS system doesn’t work, and you can find Polaris, you at least know which way is north. The Little Dipper is part of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.
The handles of both Dippers form the bears’ long tails. But, of course, bears don’t have long tails. According to one legend, a mighty hunter was fighting the bears, grabbed the bears by their tails and flung them into the heavens. In doing so, he stretched the bears’ tails!
Go back to the Big Dipper. This time use the Dipper’s handle. Follow the arc of the handle away from the Dipper to the bright star Arcturus and then speed on to Spica. Arcturus is the brightest star in Bootes, the Herdsman. Spica is a grain of wheat being held in the hand of Virgo, the Goddess of the Harvest. Don’t be surprised if you cannot see a herdsman of Virgo, most of the constellations look nothing at all like their names.
If you look low in the southern sky you will find a bright reddish star. This is Antares, and it marks the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Perhaps you can see the fainter stars that mark the Scorpion’s long curved tail.
To the east of the Scorpion's tail is Sagittarius, a centaur, a creature half man and half horse. Sagittarius is firing an arrow at the Scorpion. You will probably have a great deal of trouble trying to see Sagittarius. Some people use the brightest stars of Sagittarius to form a teapot. Perhaps you can see the handle, the top of the pot and the spout.
Looking toward the east, there are three bright stars forming a large triangle. Since the triangle is visible all night long during the summer up north, it is called the Summer Triangle. Each bright star marks a different star group or constellation.
Farthest west and highest in the sky is Vega, part of Lyra the Harp. Fainter stars very close to Vega in the shape of a parallelogram form the harp. In mythology, this is the harp invented by Hermes which Mercury gave to Orpheus the musician, who joined Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece.
To the south is Altair, in Aquila the Eagle.The eagle was the bird of Zeus and is often represented carrying aloft the young boy Ganymede. Aquila was also known as the bird of Jove and the bearer of his thunder. Whatever the legend, it is impossible to take the fainter stars that join with Altair and really make an Eagle out of this part of the heavens.
The third bright star is Deneb, marking the tail of Cygnus, the Swan. There are many legends that might account for the presence of a Swan in the heavens. One myth states that the Swan represents Orpheus, who was slain by Bacchus. However Orpheus' music was so wonderful that he was changed into a Swan and placed in the heavens near his beloved harp.
You may be surprised to learn that in July the Earth is farthest from the Sun. On July 4th when it is at its farthest, the Sun is only 94,509,460 miles away!
There are three meteor shows visible during these months. The best time to observe a meteor shower is between midnight and dawn. July 28th-29th is the maximum of Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Southern Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. August 12th-13th is the maximum of the Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. However, this year the bright Moon will overpower the fainter shooting stars. October 21st-22nd will be the Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.
The first day of fall (Autumnal Equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of spring (Vernal Equinox) in the southern hemisphere is September 22nd.
This column is prepared especially for TCI stargazers by DR. THOMAS LESSER, former Senior Lecturer at the American Museum-Hayden Planetarium and a frequent visitor to the Caribbean.
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